


Twenty Two

by Venstar



Series: Meaningless Scars [22]
Category: James Bond (Craig movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, M/M, maybe I don't know, pre mi6
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-23
Updated: 2018-07-23
Packaged: 2019-06-14 18:32:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 802
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15394869
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Venstar/pseuds/Venstar
Summary: If Q noticed James taking a more circuitous route to get to his student flat or that he kept looking over his shoulder, or that he made sure to keep a satchel slung tightly in front of him, Q said nothing.





	Twenty Two

He brought good times and bad times with him, whenever he swept into town. Sometimes those good times were filled with naughty times, with all the bare bits and bobs that came with it. One that would creep in at the oddest of times, but one he couldn’t keep. A fling, met in the shadows of a local pub full of uni kids and locals who put up with them when the kids got too raucous. A shadow on his peripheral horizon, made up of scars, muscled flesh and eyes that spoke of oceans Q would never see in his lifetime. 

Tonight, that shadow, that golden shadow crept back in, like a lightning storm. He found Q nursing a pint and playing pool with some local boys. Q paused, mid explanation as he noticed the man on the edge of the floor, between the lights hung over the pool table and the lights behind him at the bar. He would know that silhouette anywhere. He pulled his arms in, long, lithe things that hung in mid-air as he was explaining the physics behind the shot he had just made, to look at his watch. He dared to raise an eyebrow at the shadow. “My, my. It’s been awhile.”

The shadow smiled at him, Q could see the white’s of his teeth even in the dark. “So it has. I didn’t realize you were keeping track, I’m flattered.”

Q snorted and directed his attention back to the pool table. “You left your jacket at my place last time. I had it cleaned, which is why I know how long it’s been.”

“Hmmm, how careless of me.” The shadow moved forward, the kids in front moving to the side, recognizing in this man that he was not one of them.

“You owe me £20.” Q said, lining up his shot, he laughed up at the shadow.

“Perhaps I owe you more, for your inconvenience,” The shadow said, coming around the table to observe the angle that Q was aiming for. 

“Perhaps you do. Perhaps you’ll owe me more, if you ruin my shot,” Q murmured.

“But it’s such an appealing angle to watch you work from.” The shadow ran his eyes over Q’s figure.

With a laugh, Q took his shot and hit the 8 ball in the corner pocket. “You are shameless. Hello, James.”

“Hello, Q. I’m shameless and I also require a bit of...help with a certain situation,” James said, as he leaned in and brushed his lips over Q’s ear and then placed a kiss on his cheek.

Q pressed closer. “Oh really, did something...come up?” This time, it was James’s turn to laugh.

“Sort of. More like a login prompt that I can’t seem to make heads or tails with and I thought…” James shrugged his shoulders. “I could pick up you and my jacket and perhaps see if you could take a crack at it.”

“Sounds complicated,” Q said, his eyes sparkling at the challenge. “Come on, escort me home. There’s a good lad, and I’ll look at this login for you and see how fast I can help you with your problem.”

If Q noticed James taking a more circuitous route to get to his student flat or that he kept looking over his shoulder, or that he made sure to keep a satchel slung tightly in front of him, Q said nothing. James had learned long ago that he could bring Q...interesting pieces of equipment and no questions would be asked, just the giddy excitement as he got to work with things he’d never, ever get a chance to see if it weren’t for James. Tonight was no exception. After James had paid him back for caring for his jacket and gave him a very good tip to make it up to him and they lay with limbs entwined, James rose on an elbow and kissed his cheek. 

“Is it time?” Q asked. It’s not like he felt like a whore, for he knew James treated him carefully, worshipfully and joyfully, it’s just that...their time together was always brief and with some other benefit for James than just the one he had received.

“Aye. Do you mind?”

“Yes and no. Bring it here and I’ll work on it. As long as you stay naked and keep bringing me tea, it’ll be fine.”

James snorted as he rose from the bed, naked as the day he was born, to get the satchel he had brought with him. He plopped it down next to Q, who swiftly pulled a nondescript laptop out and got down to work. It wasn’t until he had broken through all the complicated and heavy encryption on it to reveal the homescreen that he FINALLY thought...what have I done. “MI6…?”


End file.
